A PROPOSAL by Delta Air Lines to buy Northwest Airlines is likely to be approved by the United States government, an influential law maker on aviation affairs said on Wednesday.
Representative John Mica, a Florida Republican and former chairman of the House of Representatives aviation subcommittee, told a hearing on the merger proposal the deal to create the world's biggest airline did not appear anti-competitive.
Democratic colleagues on the panel predicted the merger would probably lead to service and job cuts and usher in other mergers to further narrow choices for consumers.
"In short, the pending merger places at risk the consumer benefits of airline deregulation," said James Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat and chairman of the House Transportation Committee.
But Mica said it was more likely than not that "this merger will be granted" by officials at the justice and transport departments who are reviewing the potential impact on competition and service.
Antitrust and industry experts have said previously the Delta/Northwest plan stood a good chance of winning regulatory nod.
A senior official from the Justice Department's antitrust division, James O'Connell, told the hearing that he could not comment on the case.